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Protestantism: the faith, practice, and church order of the Protestant churches; Adherence to the forms of

Christian doctrine that are generally regarded as Protestant rather than Catholic or Eastern Orthodox.
Different Tenets of Protestantism:
Solus Christus: Christ alone
- Only Christ is a mediator between God and man.
Sola scriptura: Scripture alone.
- Against the Catholic orthodoxy that Tradition (1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thess 2:15), the teachings of the College of
Bishops united with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome (Mt 16:18), shares primacy with Scripture for the handing-
on of doctrine, Protestants argue that the Bible is the only rule of faith.
Sola fide: Faith alone.
- In contrast to the Roman Catholic concept of meritorious works (cf. Jam 2:24; 1 Cor 13:2), of penance and
indulgences, masses for the dead, the treasury of the merits of saints and martyrs, a ministering priesthood
who hears confessions, and purgatory (Mt 5:26), the Protestants argued that every believer is a priest and
obtains reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ, alone.
Sola gratia: Grace alone.
- Against the Roman Catholic view that faith and works necessarily occur together and that works flow from
faith (cf. Jam 2:26; Gal 5:6), the Reformers posited that salvation is a gift from God dispensed through Jesus
Christ, regardless of merit - for no one deserves salvation. The Roman Catholic Church, by contrast, posits
that salvation is not dispensed through Jesus Christ, but was affected by Jesus Christ, on the Cross at Calvary.
Lord's Supper: From the beginning, Protestantism was in agreement against the Roman Catholic dogma of
transubstantiation, which teaches that the substance of the bread and wine used in the sacrificial rite of the
Mass is exchanged for the substance of Christ's body and blood (see Eucharist). However, they disagreed with
one another concerning the manner in which the believer is united with Christ through the Eucharist. The
Lutherans held to a theory called consubstantiation (affirming the substantial presence of Christ in or under
the bread). The Reformed according to Zwingli see the Lord's Supper as a memorial ceremony, denying the
substantial presence of Christ but affirming that Christ is united to the believer through faith (a view referred
to somewhat derisively as memorialism). The Calvinists affirm the real presence of Christ in a manner
different from Lutherans, saying that the Church has a new identity from Him in a manner analogous to
naming the bread "my body", effecting a spiritual union with the Church, symbolized and given by means of
the bread, by the Holy Spirit, through faith, but without changing the bread into Himself.


Creed and Beliefs of Protestantism

Sacred Narratives

Protestants believe that they are saved by God's forgiving grace. There are varying views among Protestants
regarding such matters as the nature and extent of human participation in salvation.

Ultimate Reality and Divine Beings

Protestants believe in an all-powerful God who is perfectly good, loving, and holy. Most share the orthodox
Christian view of Jesus as fully human and fully divine. Traditionally they believe that angels and the devil
exist.

Human Nature and the Purpose of Existence

Human nature was created good, but through the fall became sinful, that is, fundamentally self-centered. The
purpose of existence is to glorify God and live a life of service to God and others, which is possible only
through God's free gift of spiritual life.

Suffering and the Problem of Evil

Protestants believe that suffering is a form of evil. Evil has come into the world through the work of Satan
and through human rebellion against God. With other Christians, most Protestants recognize that we do not
fully understand why specific instances of evil and suffering occur.

Afterlife and Salvation

Traditionally, Protestants believe salvation is a gift of God, granted by faith. On the day of judgment, all
people will be resurrected, those who have believed and trusted in Christ to a life of blessedness in the
presence of God, and those who have rejected God's gift to a place of torment and separation from God.

Different Denominations of Protestantism
An exact number of denominations is difficult to calculate and depends on definition. Nevertheless, the
majority of Protestants are members of just a handful of denominational families,
i.e. Adventists, Anglicans, Baptists, Reformed, Lutherans, Methodists and Pentecostals.


Adventists
The Adventist family of churches are regarded today as conservative Protestants. Although they hold much in
common, their theology differs on whether the intermediate state is unconscious sleep or consciousness,
whether the ultimate punishment of the wicked is annihilation or eternal torment, the nature of immortality,
whether or not the wicked are resurrected after the millennium, and whether the sanctuary of Daniel
8 refers to the one in heaven or one on earth. The movement has encouraged the examination of the
whole Bible, leading Seventh-day Adventists and some smaller Adventist groups to observe the Sabbath.
Their core beliefs are complied in The 28 Fundamental Beliefs in which Biblical references are used as
justification.
Anglicanism
Adherents of Anglicanism are called Anglicans. The great majority of Anglicans are members of churches
which are part of the international Anglican Communion. Anglicans found their faith on the Bible, traditions
of the apostolic church, apostolic succession ("historic episcopate"), and writings of the Church Fathers. The
faith of Anglicans is founded in the Scriptures and the Gospels, the traditions of the Apostolic Church,
the historical episcopate, the first seven ecumenical councils and the early Church Fathers (among these
councils, especially the premier four ones, and among these Fathers, especially those active during the five
initial centuries of Christianity, according to the quinquasaecularist principle proposed by the English
bishop Lancelot Andrewes and the Lutheran dissident Georg Calixtus). Anglicans understand the Old and New
Testaments as "containing all things necessary for salvation" and as being the rule and ultimate standard of
faith.
Baptists
Baptists are individuals who comprise a group of denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine
that baptism should be performed only for professing believers (believer's baptism, as opposed to infant
baptism), and that it must be done by complete immersion (as opposed to effusion or sprinkling). Other
tenets of Baptist churches include soul competency (liberty), salvation through faith alone, Scripture alone as
the rule of faith and practice, and the autonomy of the local congregation. Baptists recognize two ministerial
offices, pastors and deacons. Baptist churches are widely considered to be Protestant churches, though some
Baptists disavow this identity.
Calvinism
Calvinism is the theological system associated with the Reformer John Calvin that emphasizes the rule of God
over all things as reflected in its understanding of Scripture, God, humanity, salvation, and the church. In
popular vernacular, Calvinism often refers to the Five Points of Calvinistic doctrine regarding salvation, which
make up the acrostic TULIP. In its broader sense, Calvinism is associated with Reformed theology. The
principle of Calvin's system can be expressed by the term Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone). This principle of the
Reformation demonstrates the conviction that the Bible is the Word of God and therefore the final authority
in belief and practice. A common mistake is made when Sola Scriptura is understood as the Bible "alone."
Calvin and the Reformers believed strongly in church tradition, e.g. Calvin consistently and often cite the
early church fathers. However, Scripture had the final authority and tradition was given a subordinate role.
The authority of Scripture was not through rational argumentation or proofs, but through the witness of the
Holy Spirit.
Lutheranism
Lutheranism was founded by Martin Luther, a German monk and professor who has been called the "Father
of the Reformation." In 1517, he famously protested against the Catholic Church's sale of indulgences. In his
sermons and writings, Luther stressed the doctrine of justification by faith alone and the authority of
scripture alone. Martin Luther taught that salvation comes by the grace of God and faith in Christ alone, and
the many rituals and works prescribed by the church were not only unnecessary, but a stumbling block to
salvation. He rejected such traditions as the intermediary role of priests, priestly celibacy, the Latin Bible and
liturgy, purgatory, and transubstantiation, and advocated for the scriptures to be available to the laity in their
own language. Despite his rejection of many aspects of medieval Catholicism, Luther did accept any aspects
of church practice that did not contradict the scriptures. Some other Protestant groups, by contrast, rejected
any Catholic tradition not explicitly commanded in the Bible. For this reason, Lutheran churches tend to have
more of a Catholic "look and feel" than their more austere Presbyterian counterparts. Those who followed
Luther's teachings were called "Lutherans" by their opponents, and they accepted the name for themselves.




Methodism

The Methodist movement is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity which
derive their inspiration from the life and teachings of John Wesley. Methodism is characterized by its
emphasis on helping the poor and the average person, its very systematic approach to building the person,
and the "church" and its missionary spirit. These ideals are put into practice by the establishment of
hospitals, universities, orphanages, soup kitchens, and schools to follow Jesus's command to spread the Good
News and serve all people. The Methodist movement is also known for its rich musical tradition; Charles
Wesley was instrumental in writing much of the hymnody of the Methodist Church, and many other eminent
hymn writers come from the Methodist tradition. Methodists are convinced that building loving relationships
with others through social service is a means of working towards the inclusiveness of God's love. Most
Methodists teach that Christ died for all of humanity, not just for a limited group, and thus everyone is
entitled to God's grace.

Pentecostalism

Pentecostalism or Classical Pentecostalism is a renewal movement within Christianity that places special
emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Pentecostalism is
an evangelical faith, emphasizing the reliability of the Bible and the need for the transformation of an
individual's life through faith in Jesus. Like other evangelicals, Pentecostals generally adhere to the
Bible's divine inspiration and inerrancythe belief that the Bible, in the original languages in which it was
written, is infallible. Pentecostals emphasize the teaching of the "full gospel" or "foursquare gospel". The
term foursquare refers to the four fundamental beliefs of Pentecostalism: Jesus saves according to John 3:16;
baptizes with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:4; heals bodily according to James 5:15; and is coming again
to receive those who are saved according to 1 Thessalonians 4:1617. The central belief of Pentecostalism is
that through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, sins can be forgiven and
humanity reconciled with God. This is the Gospel or "good news". The fundamental requirement of
Pentecostalism is that one be born again.
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The new birth is received by the grace of God through faith in
Christ as Lord and Savior. In being born again, the believer is regenerated, justified, adopted into the family of
God, and the Holy Spirit's work of sanctification is initiated

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